Separator



mm; W, 39%., H. M. PLAISTEDY 'SEPARATOR Filed Jan. 5, 1927 Patented Ailg. 13, 1929.

UNITED STATES HAROLD M. PLAISTED, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

SEPARATOB.

application filed January 5,

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvementsin separators, the peculiarities of which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

The object of my invention is to provide means for varying the coarseness of the tails, and therefore of the fines, delivered from a separator, so as to obtain the desired degree of fineness of the product, irrespective of the weight of the material and of the atmospheric pressure of different elevations above sea level at which the separator is operated.

In the accompanying drawing, reference letters A and B designate an exhaust fan and pulverizer respectively, of any suitable make, and C the casing of a separator, shown partly in section exemplifying my invention. The top D has an outlet for lines with an adjustable sleeve (E), connected by the pipe F to the exhaust fan. The bottom G of said casing has outlets H and H for the tails which are delivered either to the hopper I of the pulverizer or elsewhere.

. Within this casing is located a drum that is relatively large with regard to the inlet and constitutes an expansion chamber. It is preferably formed in two parts and the upper part J slidably mounted on the lower part J as shown. The upper part J is adjusted by rods K passing through the top of the casing C, or otherwise, so that the upper edge of the said drum is brought nearer to or farther from the top D of the easing as indicated by dotted lines.

At or near the bottom of the drum is located a set of spirals, or other means for producing a whirling motion of the material that enters the drum. from the pulverizer by a pipe L, under the suction of the exhaust fan. The drum partJ is securely mounted at the periphery of the cone M containing the spiral blades, and may be -adjustable thereon as indicated, but without leaving any opening between the drum and the cone for the passage of air or material.

The pulverizer B is preferably of the type having a solid cage so that the material re mains therein until it is ground fine enough to be lifted through the pipe L by the suction of the exhaust fan, and given a whirling motion as it passes the spiral blades, or other means for producing that effect. The coarser particles tend to hug the inside of the said drum as they ascend spirally and pass over 1921' Serial No. 159,175.

the upper edge outside of the drum and fall to the tails outlets. The intermediate and the finest particles are nearer thecenter of the drum and are drawn out the fines outlet to the exhaust fan. It has. been found by practical use, that when the drum is extended to its full height so that it practically touches the top I) of the casing as indicated by dotted lines, all of the pulverized material will pass into the fan A, because this adjustment makes a continuous closed pipe connection system to the fan without any other outlet, for the whole of the mixed material. Dropping the upper edge of the drum slightly so as to leave a small opening, will allow only coarse particles to tail off. A further lowering of the upper portion J, and corresponding increase of the opening, will allow the intermediates or medium coarse particles also, to tail off; a further lowering of the upper drum part will increase the proportion of the intermediate particles passing into the tails, and thereby separate them from" the finest particles passing to the exhaust fan. Thus it will be seen that any desired proportion of tails can be sent over the upper edge of the drum and secure any desired proportion of the fines drawn off by the exhaust fan and delivered to any suitable place. The outlet E is provided with a slidable collar that depends more or less below the top D and prevents the coarser particles that may strike the said top from passing out ward with the fines.

The tails outlets are provided with slide valves 0 to cut off or regulate the flow of tails from said outlets, and also provided with air inlet valves P by which air may be admitted in desired quantities when certain materials are being operated on, the regulated air draft upward cleaning the downwardly flowing tails of the fines carried over the drum top with the coarser particles.

Thus it will be seen that perfect control is obtained by my device over the quantity and quality of the tails and the fines, whether the materlal being separated is comparativelythe particle-laden air a whirling motion, and a" drum forming an expansion chamber mounted in said casing and communicating with said inlet and outlet respectively and having its upper edge adjustable to and from the top of the casing and thereby adapted to contact with the casing and form a closed system to deliver all the mixed material to said outlet, or to provide a variable annular opening for discharge through said opening of portions of the mixed material, substantially as described.

' 2. A separator of the class described comprising a casing having a bottom inlet and a top outlet having an adjustable sleeve for particle-laden air subject to air suction,

means at said inlet to give the particle-laden air a whirling motion, and an extensible drum forming an expansion chamber communicating with said inlet and outlet respectively and consisting of two parts-the upper part being adjustable on the lower part to make a variable annular opening near the outlet between its upper edge and the top of the casing, substantially as described.

'3. A separator of the class described comprising a casing having a. bottom inlet and a top outlet for particle-laden air, means at the inlet for giving a whirling motion to particle-laden air, and an adjustable drum relatively large with regard to the inlet and forming an expansion chamber in the casing and adapted to form either a closed connection between the inlet and the outlet, or form a variable annular -tails opening between the top of the casing and the adjacent end of said drum,. substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

HAROLD M. PLAISTED. 

